The Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) has blasted civil servants for demanding to be paid in American dollars saying the public workers were ignorant of the challenges the country is facing.
“Where do they want government to get the foreign currency they want to be paid in? Do they want the government to go out there and look for work so that it can be able to pay them? Don’t they know that government does not own the means of production?” ZNLWVA spokesperson Douglas Mahiya told the Daily News yesterday.
Mahiya directed the civil servants to industrialists and farmers whom he said are the real owners of the means of production — land, labour and capital.
When it was put to him that industry and farmers have no obligation to pay government workers and that civil servants knew who their employer was, Mahiya got agitated.
“That is reckless talk to say they care less about where the money comes from and more about the value for their labour. You see, when people discuss or negotiate it is always wrong to poke the other in the eye.
“Civil servants need to understand where this government is coming from. It is barely one year old and they already think that it will perform miracles? Nobody can blame this government for what is happening. It is unfair,” he said.
He said the former liberation war fighters are keen to see the country united and working with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration to correct the wrongs of the previous government led by former president Robert Mugabe.
“When we talk about unity we do not mean a government of national unity because that was resolved by last year’s elections. We are talking about all Zimbabweans regardless of political affiliation coming up with solutions to revive the economy,” Mahiya explained.
Mahiya spoke as government is set to meet all civil servants today in a desperate bid to avert a looming economic shutdown as its employees threaten industrial action demanding payment of salaries in United States dollars (USDs).
Currently, junior doctors have been on strike for more than a month demanding salaries in USDs as well as adequate drugs, sundries and other necessities in public health institutions.
Senior doctors, radiographers and other health professionals have since joined in the strike action.
Government is, however, on record saying it has no capacity to pay its workers in American dollars owing to serious shortages of foreign currency. Daily News
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